My heart seizes.
Oh no.
No, no, no.
The shirt crumpled in my hand falls to the ground as I spin on my heel, eyes frantically scanning over the shoppers browsing different clothes.
No Taehyung.
My eyes widen as I rush out of the store, swallowing a frustrated yell when I don't see his familiar golden-brown head amongst the people walking around.
This mall is huge.
Worry chokes my throat when the worst crosses my mind— what if someone kidnapped him?
Or what if he fell off the escalator for real this time?
_______________________
KIM TAEHYUNG
Earth is beautiful.
"Hi!" I say brightly, waving my hand at a boy whose face, for some reason, is completely gray. My lips press into a pout when he doesn't answer, remaining motionless.
Even though all I want is to run around this place, I know that's just going to make me faint again.
So I take careful steps.
Then my eyes find something that makes my face light up with pleasure. Sian had always grumbled that she wanted a new house.
Smiling happily, I pick up the cute house among the toys and begin to walk out of the place when a shrill scream makes me flinch.
"Thief! He's a thief!"
Thief?
"I'm so sorry!"
All of a sudden, I hear Sian's familiar voice as she takes away the miniature house from me. She begins bowing to the angry-faced woman, her face apologetic as she swallows.
That woman looks like my mother.
"I'm so sorry, ma'am. I promise he didn't mean to steal— I'll be sure to educate him better."
Me?
Stealing?
Once the angry woman has calmed down, Sian grips my hand as she pulls me hastily out of the colorful room.
"Tae!" She hisses as she pants heavily. Now that I look closer, she's sweating— and breathing fast too. "I told you to stay with me—"
My eyes widen.
"Are you sick?!" I exclaim worriedly as I cup her face in my hands. She looks taken aback as my skin grows ashen. "You're sick—"
She pulls my hands down.
"First of all," She huffs, pulling her hair into a ponytail. "I'm not sick— I'm just really, really out of shape, okay? You don't have to rub it in."
"And second of all."
"Didn't I tell you to stay with me?"
She looks furious as she crosses her arms together, giving me a look similar to my mother's. My brows knit as I mumble an apology, my voice quiet.
